Day 9, Hoof Fungus, Tadoussac

NOTE: Today, 3 February 2019, the temperature just after noon was -27C (windchill -38C!). That is -16.6F (windchill -36.4F). Needless to say, it has been a day, just like yesterday, to stay home. Any birding wallks for yesterday and today, also tomorrow, were cancelled, which very, very rarely happens. A nasty shock after enjoying so many milder winter days for quite some time this winter.

This evening, I have just posted nine more photos from Day 9, I had hoped to completely finish Day 9 today, but still have maybe half a dozen or so more bird and fungus images I'd like to add. Hopefully, I can finish them tomorrow, and then move on to day 10 of our two-week holiday in Ontario and Quebec in May 2018. I will have only Day 10, 11 and 12 to sort, edit and post.

Day 9, 15 May 2018, involved a local morning walk, not far from our friend Anne's home. Just before 10:00 am, we drove to near the Marine Mammal Interprretation Centre in Tadoussac and followed the Sentier de la Pointe-de-l'Islet Trail. Not the greatest weather, including for photography. However, it was a delightful trail, much of it along a wooden boardwalk (which had quite a few steps). After this outing, we spent some time at our friend's house, watching the birds that came to her garden and then, later on, went for a short, local walk.

"Walk along Sentier de la Pointe-de-l'Islet Trail, a forest trail by the ocean with marvellous views of the surrounding coast and skyline. The wooden boardwalk leads you behind the wharf to the mouth of the Saguenay River. The trail provides an easy walk, stretching just under a kilometer (0.6 mi), or you can climb freely over the rocky shoreline for a more adventurous route. The point offers an ideal atmosphere for a picnic by the water. Look out into the distance to catch a glimpse of minke whales, while seals and belugas come close to the shore to feed." From link below.

www.inspirock.com/canada/tadoussac/sentier-de-la-pointe-d...

"Fomes fomentarius (commonly known as the tinder fungus, false tinder fungus, hoof fungus, tinder conk, tinder polypore or ice man fungus) is a species of fungal plant pathogen found in Europe, Asia, Africa and North America. The species produces very large polypore fruit bodies which are shaped like a horse's hoof and vary in colour from a silvery grey to almost black, though they are normally brown. It grows on the side of various species of tree, which it infects through broken bark, causing rot. The species typically continues to live on trees long after they have died, changing from a parasite to a decomposer.

Though inedible, F. fomentarius has traditionally seen use as the main ingredient of amadou, a material used primarily as tinder, but also used to make clothing and other items. The 5,000-year-old Ötzi the Iceman carried four pieces of F. fomentarius, concluded to be for use as tinder. It also has medicinal and other uses. The species is both a pest and useful in timber production.

The fruit bodies are perennial, surviving for up to thirty years. The strongest growth period is between early summer and autumn. The yearly growth always occurs on the bottom of the fungus, meaning that the lowest layer is the youngest. This occurs even if the host tree has been laid on the forest floor, which can happen because of the white rot induced by the fungus." From Wikipedia.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fomes_fomentarius